Lock assembly for a weapon

ABSTRACT

A lock assembly for a weapon, the weapon including a sliding assembly as part of its firing mechanism, the sliding assembly sliding relative to a chamber that receives therein a round of ammunition fed thereto from a magazine inserted in a magazine well, the lock assembly including a padlock body that houses a lock therein, the lock adapted to selectively lock and unlock a padlock bolt extending from the padlock body, the padlock bolt being adapted for locking engagement with a portion of the weapon, a magazine-insertion member extending from the padlock body, and a blocking member extending from an upper portion of the magazine-insertion member, wherein when the magazine-insertion member is inserted into the magazine well of the weapon, the blocking member has a locking orientation in which the blocking member limits sliding movement of the sliding assembly so as to interfere with operation of the weapon.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to locks for weapons and particularly to a lock assembly that blocks operation of the weapon with a blocking member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many locks for weapons are known and commercially available. Some locks lock the trigger, while other locks are known that have a portion that enters the magazine well of the weapon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to provide a novel lock assembly for a weapon, as is described more in detail hereinbelow. In some embodiments of the invention, the lock may block operation of the weapon with a blocking member that extends from a member inserted in the magazine well of the weapon, as is described more in detail hereinbelow.

There is thus provided in accordance with an embodiment of the invention a lock assembly for a weapon, the weapon including a sliding assembly as part of its firing mechanism, the sliding assembly sliding relative to a chamber that receives therein a round of ammunition fed thereto from a magazine inserted in a magazine well, the lock assembly including a padlock body that houses a lock therein, the lock adapted to selectively lock and unlock a padlock bolt extending from the padlock body, the padlock bolt being adapted for locking engagement with a portion of the weapon, a magazine-insertion member extending from the padlock body, and a blocking member extending from an upper portion of the magazine-insertion member, wherein when the magazine-insertion member is inserted into the magazine well of the weapon, the blocking member has a locking orientation in which the blocking member limits sliding movement of the sliding assembly so as to interfere with operation of the weapon.

In the locking orientation, the blocking member may extend into the chamber of the weapon and block the sliding assembly from sliding past the blocking member. The blocking member may extend into the chamber of the weapon and block a firing pin of the weapon from accessing a round of ammunition located in the chamber.

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention if the sliding assembly is located in the chamber when the magazine-insertion member is inserted into the magazine well of the weapon, the blocking member abuts against the sliding assembly and retracts into the magazine-insertion member, and if the sliding assembly moves away from and does not overlie the blocking member, a biasing device urges the blocking member to extend out of the magazine-insertion member into the locking orientation.

Further in accordance with an embodiment of the invention the magazine-insertion member may have guiding wings adapted to slide against inner surfaces of the magazine well. The padlock bolt may be curved to go around a portion of the weapon body. The padlock bolt may be curved to go around and at least partially block opening of a cartridge ejection port of the weapon body.

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention the padlock bolt may include a plurality of locking stations along its length so that the padlock bolt is lockable at different extension lengths extending from the padlock body.

There is also provided in accordance with an embodiment of the invention a method for locking a weapon, the weapon including a sliding assembly that slides relative to a chamber that receives therein a round of ammunition fed thereto from a magazine well, the method including providing a padlock body that houses a lock therein, the lock adapted to selectively lock and unlock a padlock bolt extending from the padlock body, the padlock bolt being adapted for locking engagement with a portion of the weapon, wherein a magazine-insertion member extends from the padlock body, and a blocking member extends from an upper portion of the magazine-insertion member, inserting the magazine-insertion member into the magazine well of the weapon, and bringing the blocking member into a locking orientation in which the blocking member limits sliding movement of the sliding assembly so as to interfere with operation of the weapon.

There is also provided in accordance with an embodiment of the invention a weapon assembly including a weapon including a sliding assembly that slides relative to a chamber that receives therein a round of ammunition fed thereto from a magazine well, a lock including a padlock body that houses a lock therein, the lock adapted to selectively lock and unlock a padlock bolt extending from the padlock body, the padlock bolt being adapted for locking engagement with a portion of the weapon, a magazine-insertion member extending from the padlock body, and a blocking member extending from an upper portion of the magazine-insertion member, wherein the magazine-insertion member is inserted into the magazine well of the weapon and the blocking member has a locking orientation in which the blocking member limits sliding movement of the sliding assembly so as to interfere with operation of the weapon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are simplified pictorial and partially sectional illustrations, respectively, of a lock assembly for a weapon, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are simplified end view, side perspective and end perspective illustrations, respectively, of the lock assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2 assembled on a weapon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference is now made to FIGS. 1 and 2, which illustrate a lock assembly 10 for a weapon, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

The lock assembly 10 may include a padlock body 12 that houses a lock 14 therein. Lock 14 may be, without limitation, a pin tumbler lock of any desired security level. Lock 14 may selectively lock and unlock a padlock bolt 16 extending from the padlock body 12. The padlock bolt 16 may have a curved extension 17 and may be adapted for locking engagement with a portion of the weapon, as is described more in detail.

Lock 14 may actuate a locking element 18, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art, that selectively engages or disengages a locking station 20 (FIG. 2) formed in padlock bolt 16. Locking station 20 may be a recess formed in padlock bolt 16. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, padlock bolt 16 may include a plurality of locking stations 20 along its length so that the padlock bolt 16 is lockable at different extension lengths extending from the padlock body 12. The padlock bolt 16 may include an external knob 22 that prevents removing padlock bolt 16 from padlock body 12.

A magazine-insertion member 24 may extend from padlock body 12. The magazine-insertion member 24 may be attached to padlock body 12 by any means, such as but not limited to, welding, pinned connection, mechanical fasteners (e.g., shear bolts and the like), etc. The magazine-insertion member 24 may have guiding wings 26 adapted to slide against inner surfaces of a magazine well (seen later in FIGS. 4 and 5). A blocking member 28 extends from an upper portion of the magazine-insertion member 24 and may be internally biased by a biasing device 30, such as a coil spring or Belleville washer. The biasing device 30 applies an upward urging force on blocking member 28 (upward in the sense of the drawings).

The padlock body 12, padlock bolt 16, magazine-insertion member 24 and blocking member 28 may be constructed of any suitable tamper resistant material, such as but not limited to, hardened steel.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 3-5 (particularly to FIG. 4). The lock assembly 10 is designed for use with a weapon 32 (part of which is shown in the drawings) that includes a sliding assembly 34 as part of its firing mechanism. The sliding assembly 34 slides relative to a chamber 36 that receives therein a round of ammunition 38 (shown in phantom lines in FIG. 4) fed thereto from a magazine (not shown) inserted in a magazine well 40. The types of weapons covered by weapon 32 include, without limitation, an automatic rifle (e.g., M16, which is the non-limiting embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3-5), semi-automatic rifle (e.g., AR15), magazine-loaded pistols (e.g., Springfield Armory models 1911 and XD) including, for example, double action only pistols and double action pistols. As is well known in the art, in the case of automatic rifles, for example, the sliding assembly 34 comprises a bolt carrier assembly that is arranged to slide and recoil (by the force of a recoil spring 35) to strip a live round of ammunition from the magazine and move the ammunition into the chamber of the barrel. In the case of pistols, for example, the sliding assembly 34 comprises the slide.

If the sliding assembly 34 is located in the chamber 36 when the magazine-insertion member 24 is inserted into the magazine well 40 of the weapon 32, the blocking member 28 abuts against the sliding assembly 34 and retracts into the magazine-insertion member 24 (by compressing biasing device 30 shown in FIG. 2). If the sliding assembly 34 moves away from and does not overlie the blocking member 28 (the situation illustrated in FIGS. 3-5), biasing device 30 (FIG. 2) urges blocking member 28 to extend out of magazine-insertion member 24 into a locking orientation in which blocking member 28 limits sliding movement of sliding assembly 34 so as to interfere with operation of the weapon 32. (By being blocked, sliding assembly 34 cannot slide strip a live round of ammunition from the magazine into the chamber 36.)

In the locking orientation, blocking member 28 may extend into chamber 36 of the weapon 32 and block sliding assembly 34 from sliding past blocking member 28. In the case of the illustrated M16, the sliding assembly 34 includes the bolt carrier. As is known in the art, the M16 bolt carrier has located therein, in a partially rotatable and slidable relationship, an M16 bolt having an M16 firing pin 42 (shown in phantom lines in FIG. 4) slidably located therein. Accordingly, blocking member 28 may extend into the chamber 36 and block firing pin 42 from accessing a round of ammunition located in chamber 36.

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the padlock bolt 16 may be curved to go around a portion of the weapon body, e.g., through and under a space below the carrying handle 44. As seen best in FIG. 5, padlock bolt 16 may be curved to go around and at least partially block opening of a cartridge ejection port 46 of the weapon body. Since padlock bolt 16 blocks the opening of cartridge ejection port 46, the weapon 32 cannot be fired properly.

The scope of the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinations of the features described hereinabove as well as modifications and variations thereof which would occur to a person of skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description and which are not in the prior art. 

1. A lock assembly for a weapon, said weapon comprising a sliding assembly that slides relative to a chamber that receives therein a round of ammunition fed thereto from a magazine well, the lock assembly comprising: a padlock body that houses a lock therein, said lock adapted to selectively lock and unlock a padlock bolt extending from said padlock body, said padlock bolt being adapted for locking engagement with a portion of the weapon; a magazine-insertion member extending from said padlock body; and a blocking member extending from an upper portion of said magazine-insertion member, wherein when said magazine-insertion member is inserted into the magazine well of the weapon, said blocking member has a locking orientation in which said blocking member limits sliding movement of the sliding assembly so as to interfere with operation of the weapon.
 2. The lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein in said locking orientation, said blocking member extends into the chamber of the weapon and blocks the sliding assembly from sliding past the blocking member.
 3. The lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein in said locking orientation, said blocking member extends into the chamber of the weapon and blocks a firing pin of the weapon from accessing a round of ammunition located in the chamber.
 4. The lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein if the sliding assembly does not overlie said blocking member, a biasing device urges said blocking member to extend out of said magazine-insertion member into said locking orientation.
 5. The lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein said magazine-insertion member has guiding wings adapted to slide against inner surfaces of the magazine well.
 6. The lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein said padlock bolt is curved to go around a portion of the weapon body.
 7. The lock assembly according to claim 1 wherein said padlock bolt is curved to go around and at least partially block opening of a cartridge ejection port of the weapon body.
 8. The lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein said padlock bolt comprises a plurality of locking stations along its length so that said padlock bolt is lockable at different extension lengths extending from said padlock body.
 9. A method for locking a weapon, said weapon comprising a sliding assembly that slides relative to a chamber that receives therein a round of ammunition fed thereto from a magazine well, the method comprising: providing a padlock body that houses a lock therein, said lock adapted to selectively lock and unlock a padlock bolt extending from said padlock body, said padlock bolt being adapted for locking engagement with a portion of the weapon, wherein a magazine-insertion member extends from said padlock body, and a blocking member extends from an upper portion of said magazine-insertion member; inserting said magazine-insertion member into the magazine well of the weapon; and bringing said blocking member into a locking orientation in which said blocking member limits sliding movement of the sliding assembly so as to interfere with operation of the weapon.
 10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising locking said padlock bolt with respect to a portion of said weapon so as to at least partially block opening of a cartridge ejection port of the weapon.
 11. A weapon assembly comprising: a weapon comprising a sliding assembly that slides relative to a chamber that receives therein a round of ammunition fed thereto from a magazine well; a lock comprising: a padlock body that houses a lock therein, said lock adapted to selectively lock and unlock a padlock bolt extending from said padlock body, said padlock bolt being adapted for locking engagement with a portion of the weapon; a magazine-insertion member extending from said padlock body; and a blocking member extending from an upper portion of said magazine-insertion member, wherein said magazine-insertion member is inserted into the magazine well of the weapon and said blocking member has a locking orientation in which said blocking member limits sliding movement of the sliding assembly so as to interfere with operation of the weapon. 